


Project R

by nickinspace



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Fake Science, Gen, Kara Danvers is a Ray of Sunshine, Protective Alex Danvers, get a second chance, meta-humans of the DEO
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:22:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28780449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nickinspace/pseuds/nickinspace
Summary: When Supergirl says she wants to reabilitate some cases at the DEO, Alex is not convinced.Supergirl has arguments."Winn and Lena can build the right technology!", "They deserve a second chance, right?".Alex is worried she's wrong. That maybe some meta-humans won't change sides - but Supergirl still believes.That Livewire is a good person.That Psy shouldn't stay in this city anymore.That Silver Banshee used to be a friend.
Relationships: Alex Danvers & Kara Danvers, Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 1
Kudos: 45





	Project R

For the last four months, the argument went back and forth.

If there was one thing the Danvers Sisters were good at, it was stubbornness.

Alex saw things in a realistic mindset. She was trained at the DEO.

Fought aliens and metahumans, fought the worst criminals of the galaxy and had to make tough choices to defend her loved ones.

But she always backed her team.

Kara was more hopeful. She believed everyone had the capacity for good in them, and sometimes she could be wrong.

Hope could cloud the true nature of some.

But she kept trying. Giving people second changes.

Because Kara Zor-El was kind.

“Kara, no.”

“Yes!” Despite her sister’s glare, Kara stole the last slice of pizza. They were having another sister’s night. The empty boxes were already pilling up and the Disney marathon was stopped at Hercules. “C’mon, listen.”

“I already listened to your arguments. I have been for the past week.” Alex groaned. She took another sip from her beer.

“Please.” Kara looked at her.

Alex sighed. Those puppy dog eyes were unfair.

Kara kept trying to come up with five more minutes of her attention. She always knew how to find the right words to convince her.

“ _Fine.”_ Alex tried to make her glare extra mean.

“Great!” Kara squealed. She put her pizza down, which was a big deal. “So, I know Livewire did some bad things…”

“She tried to murder Cat Grant.”

“So did I, in fairness!”

“You were under the influence of Red K, completely different. Go on.” Alex gestured.

“Okay, but Livewire had just turned in a metahuman and she was struggling. I really think she just needs help. She tried to help us in that mission.”

“Because we asked her to. More like ‘gave her no choice’.” Alex scoffed and raised her eyebrow.

Kara pouted. Her face went soft. She looked at Alex, and started rubbing her cardigan’s sleeves.

“Leslie… she’s not a bad person.” At her sister’s eyebrow, Kara interjected. “I _can_ tell, Alex. She saved me so many times. Leslie, or Livewire, whatever she prefers… she needs someone to give her a chance to redeem herself. They deserve a life. Not confinement. I’m not my mother, and I think they deserve better.”

The apartment was filled with a beat of silence.

This argument went back and forth. The type of discussion who wouldn’t cease until Kara was met with closure.

Alex always guarded herself. She prepared for the worst.

_Protect the family. Protect Kara._

But ever since Supergirl joined the DEO, their mission became different. They teared down some of the cells, started patching up the aliens instead of hunting them.

Now, her sister was asking her to do something Alex had such a difficult with: to forgive.

Alex had already talked with Maggie, the night before. Her girlfriend _(oh god, she had a girlfriend, that’s right_ ) was the expert in alien advocacy.

Maggie agreed.

If they were going to preach for alien rights, they needed to make room for metahumans too.

“Okay.”

Kara perked up.

“Really?”

Alex sent her a gentle look.

“Yes. But talk to Winn first, get the…” before Alex could finish her sentence, she was tackled by a mountain of blonde steel, trapping her in a hug. _“Geez, Kara!_ You’re gonna make me spill my beer!”

“Thank you! Yes!”

The Kryptonian did a silly dance, before finishing her pizza, while Alex Danvers mouthed something similar to ‘fucking dork’ under her breath.

X

It wasn’t always that Lena Luthor had the chance to work with Winn Schott.

They both had busy schedules.

Lena had a company to run.

She spent most of her mornings in the office.

Of course, becoming friends with a certain cheerful blonde reporter did help her social life – but she was still a very busy woman.

When Winn called her with a ‘interesting DEO project’, she was more than interested.

Winn was a bit of a creative genius. His designs were incredible, if only he believed in himself a bit more.

She could use an engineer like him, but Kara would never forgive her for stealing her best friend away to work in corporate labs, so them working together twice a year was good enough.

With her intellect, the DEO was lucky to have Lena Luthor as an aid to help them in any scientifical researches they needed.

Getting to play with their technology and resources was pretty good incentive too.

When Lena arrived at the DEO laboratory, Winn was staring at the screens on his computers.

“I’m not late, am I?” Lena smirked, peaking through the doorway.

Winn looked startled, then visibly relaxed.

“Oh, Lena! Hey. Course’ not. Hi, come in.” He gestured the seats.

It took a couple of minutes of small talk for Winn to explain the concept.

The designs were drawn by Kara herself. It would be Lena’s and Winn’s challenge to bring the finished products to life.

Lena respected Kara and how the hero believed in others, but looking at the project, she could only shake her head.

“She really think this is going to work?” Lena asked.

Winn tried to confidently agree, but he seemed unsure too. His shoulders hunched over his many loose pens and the action figures near his keyboard.

Doing the calculations in her laptop, if they really managed to build it – the hardest work would fall on Kara.

Lena could already feel the excitement of a new project. Her brain forming the calculations, all the possible connections she could create.

This was another of her natural habitats.

“Let’s get to work.”

Using the Nth metal, they forged two different bracelets.

They had to make sure the bracelets were light enough to be lifted by an average human, but indestructible so they couldn’t be destroyed or removed.

They managed to achieve this middle-term by adding a gravity-switch inside the jewelry, so while the person wears it the bracelet feels lighter than it actually is.

They also added a GPS tracker, of course.

It took them two weeks to create what Winn named ‘power-scale’. A device that can measure meta-humans abilities and track them based on energy.

This same knowledge was kept secret between the two of them: Winn wouldn’t tell anyone, and Lena had no desire for this information to fall in the wrong hands. She had seen enough horrors from her family.

That same day, Kara - _no, Supergirl -_ and Alex stopped by to check on them.

“Thought you could use some food.” Supergirl said, bringing a bag of Big Belly Burger.

“My hero.” Lena grinned.

“What a mess.” Alex stared at the tables. Metal parts were everywhere, and papers were spread in a specific pattern of organization.

“Yes, but _we did_ figure out how to know if our ladies will abuse their privileges or not.” Winn rolled his chair towards his computer. “Basically, their powers have a certain energy to it, right?”

“The same way Kara powers come from Solar Rays.” Lena said. She unwrapped her burger.

“Yes, the other meta-humans also have energy-types. We can track it, and if they go over the line we know they’re using it to harm others.” Winn clapped his hands excitedly.

Alex stepped over to the screen. With her hands on her holster, she always looked down to business.

“How do we know their intentions, though?”

Lena lowered her food.

“Because of the volts of electricity, in Livewire case. It only takes a certain amount of electricity to fry food or travel through the power grid, for instance. But to fry a living person, it takes almost all of your energy, because you’re exchanging it with someone else. In this case, their heat.” Lena said.

“So, if she uses her powers against another human, we’ll be able to know she broke the rules of her parole.” Supergirl bounced happily.

Winn grinned.

Alex looked around, a little unsure. She didn’t seem too convinced, but nodded anyway.

“We’re still working on the other one.” Winn got up, food in hand, and walked towards a different table. On the table, something big was covered with a sheet. “We also finished the first prototype.”

He uncovered it.

An antenna the size of a big concrete block was on top of it. It looked really modern, grey and smooth.

Kara grinned.

She picked it up like it was made of paper. The whole thing was actually Nth metal and would be probably extremely heavy to anyone else.

“Careful!” Winn shouted. His face got a bit whiter.

“This one’s ready.” Lena looked almost smug. “We just need to get the other eleven done.”

Kara put the antenna down, with the absolute softness she could muster and looked to Winn and Lena. Her face was shining with adoration.

“Thank you so much.” She hugged them both. They weren’t used with this type of affection until they met her, but they squeezed her arm now like second-nature, and Kara stepped back with a smile. “Really. This’ll help them a lot.”

Winn shuffled his feet. Always embarrassed at the praise, but confident that his inventions will work well. He went back to his desk.

Lena let out a rare smile.

She and Kara exchanged an intimate glance. The sisters left while the CEO returned to her desk, not before giving Kara a last look.

Her heart was beating loudly in her chest, and it felt nice.

X

A week before Project R went on, Alex was in the control room. Staring at the cameras.

More specifically, at the three inmates in that hallway.

Livewire was the easiest one.

Every time Kara talks about Livewire, she always have this look in her face.

Like _that could have been me._

Like she wants to say _I can still save her._

Alex hopes she rights. Because Livewire is sarcastic, and petty.

Even before, when she had that punk talkshow she was already badmouthing Supergirl.

Alex wonders if people can change, and tries not to think about college, and…

“Hey, Danvers. Are you listening?”

Alex looks up. Maggie is still staring at her.

She shakes her head. Maggie is looking at her, eyes softer this time. Still beautiful, with that leather jacket and pretty hair.

“Yea. Sorry.” Alex laughs, a bit too fast.

Her girlfriend leans in the chair, eyes knowingly. With that smile that promises more and sends shivers down Alex’s back.

A couple years back, she would’ve been worried, flirting at her workplace. But Vasquez, and Lucy works here, and no one cares… and Alex loves Maggie.

_“I_ was asking _you,_ if you wanna go get a drink. Talk about what’s bothering you.” Maggie bites her lip. Looks at her intently.

Alex doesn’t even want to hide. Not with her.

She sighs. Let’s her shoulders drop.

Looks at the cameras in the computer.

Livewire is sitting in the floor of her cell. Like she has been for the last six months.

Psy is staring at the camera. She does that a lot.

Silver Banshee is screaming. Banging at the forcefield. Always trying to force her way out, like she can’t stand to be there another minute.

Alex looks at them, and can’t imagine what Kara sees.

Those three in particular. For some reason, those three are the source of Kara’s ‘Rehabilitation Project’. What light Kara sees in them, Alex doesn’t know.

But Kara sees light in a lot of people, so Alex tries not to think about it too much.

“We’re moving forward with Project R.” Alex says. Maggie frowns her eyebrows lightly, which makes Alex explain. “It’s… the name Kara picked. R for Rao, and R for redemption and R for Red K.” Alex shrugs, like the name makes sense. Like it’s not silly.

Maggie nods. She knows the stories by now. Nights staying awake, talking about all the times it was too-close.

“I’m worried. That they’re going to disappear. Betray her and do it all over again. Prove Kara that they haven’t changed.” Alex admits.

Because sometimes people don’t.

Maggie holds Alex’s hands. Finally, she looks at Maggie completely.

“Babe. There’s nothing we can do. All _you_ can do is be there to protect her. You have to let her make her own choices, even if that includes making mistakes.”

In simple words, the weight lessens.

Alex knows Kara will mess up. Because they’re the Danvers sisters, and they care too much. In different ways, maybe.

But she’ll be there when her sister needs it.

Alex nods, and Maggie hugs her. Kisses her temple, and doesn’t say anything else.

The computer is forgotten, and they go out for that drink for the rest of the night.

X

It passed a month since Project R was started, until the release day happened.

That morning, Supergirl was seen flying around National City. No one was really sure what she was doing. She flew extremely fast, without any known objective in sight.

The theory running around was some sort of training drill.

In reality, she was putting the satellites down.

She was flying to the DEO’s balcony, where a bag of satellites was lying in the ground.

They were incredible heavy, so even a bodybuilder would have trouble lifting them.

One by one, she picked them up.

Supergirl simply carried them under her cape – to avoid detection – and flew into the sky.

“Winn, where next?” She asked.

The comm in her ear spoke.

_“The tall building near the art store at Fifth.”_

The hero flew to the building. She landed in the gravel of the roof, and found a good spot hidden on the floor near the ledge – where it was least likely to be bothered by anyone.

She put the object in the ground and used her X-Ray vision to melt the base of the satellite into the soil. Until it was solid.

Done. Ten more to go.

Once she dropped all the satellites, she met Winn and Lena at the laboratories.

“All done. Now, we turn them on.” Lena started to type.

The graphics in her laptop seemed really complicated. Supergirl’s nerves were making her incapable of sitting still because a lot came down to this.

Ten minutes later, there was an exclamation of joy and the CEO wheeled her chair around.

“There. All good.” Lena grinned, proud of herself.

Winn raised his hand for a high-five and she complied, seemingly pleased.

Alex opened the door and walked in.

She was leading Livewire and Psy, with Vasquez and Maggie ending the line. They were both wearing handcuffs and Psy was wearing a psychic dampener.

“Sunshine, I don’t have all day. Can we hurry this up?” Livewire grumbled.

Alex glared at her. She still wasn’t happy with this arrangement, but she trusted her sister, and that was enough.

She pushed Livewire forward, while Vasquez kept Psy in the back. Maggie watched from the corner.

“Winn, if you will?” Supergirl asked.

He opened a box and removed one of the bracelets.

Psy and Livewire both stared at the object, with clear uneasy.

“Livewire, I’m giving you the chance to leave the DEO.” Supergirl smiled.

Livewire chuckled. She looked around.

“Is this a joke?”

“There’s some conditions.”

“There always are.” Livewire spat. Her voice was colder now.

“This bracelet has a GPS in it, so the DEO will keep track of your whereabouts. It’ll also keep track of how much power you’ll use. You can use your powers, but for mundane things, like small tasks and traveling through the power grid.”

Livewire looked less mad now. She stared at the bracelet, like she was trying to figure it out how it worked.

“I’m sure you’ll try to break it, but if you do: we’ll send you back to your cell once you get caught. The first time, one month. The second, two. The third, one year.” Supergirl said, and her voice seemed almost strict now.

Livewire crossed her arms. Scoffed like the idea was ridiculous.

Supergirl approached, and this time they’ve looked at each other. For a minute, it was like a silent conversation took place.

Alex couldn’t figure out what it meant.

Maggie noticed Lena raised her head a bit higher, all her attention on the two, but her eyes were devoid of any jealously. It was more _territorial._

“I’m giving you a chance. This is your chance to live a normal life, to start over. Please, do it justice.” Supergirl said. She removed the handcuffs in Livewire’s wrists. The silence stretched over a beat. The hero handed the bracelet to Livewire. “Think about it.”

Livewire stared at the bracelet, then took it from her hands.

She put the bracelet in her left arm. A _click_ was heard. Her face went sour for a quick second, before the joking expression came back.

“So, I’m free to go then?”

Supergirl nodded.

Livewire smirked. The room flashed with a bright light, all the computers broke as the lightbulbs exploded. The group shielded their eyes as Livewire was gone in a lightning.

Everyone blinked.

“Well, this proves it works.” Winn sighed. He checked the computer. “Yeah, the GPS says she’s downtown.”

Alex shared a look with Maggie.

_Well, here we go._

If Livewire goes rogue again, they’ll know.

Vasquez brought Psy over. She looked less thrilled.

She eyed the other bracelet, sitting in the leather box.

Psy mustered a look of disgust to Supergirl.

“Really? You think that’ll stop me?”

Supergirl looked at her, softness in her voice.

“That’s not for you, Psy.” She spoke. “Even if we gave you psychic dampener that you can’t remove, and added a GPS, it’s too dangerous. Your powers are a mental skill. There’s no guarantee you couldn’t easily hide from us.”

Psy raised her head, smirking.

“So, back to the cell, then?” She barked a dry laugh.

“No.” Supergirl sighed. Her voice was heavy now. A weight of having to make difficult decisions, as the Lady of House El. “We’re banning you from National City, for the next two months.”

The room fell into silence.

Perhaps the decision was one of guilt, as well. They couldn’t keep her as prisoner, but they needed to protect the city too.

So, she should be someone else’s problem.

Maybe Gotham or Starling City could deal with Psy.

Psy looked almost hurt now.

The ball of guilt in Kara’s stomach grew. But she could come back soon enough, and if she knew anything of Psy she would – and Kara knew she would not be changing her mind for now.

“Just expecting me to leave, without any resistance?” Psy asked. Her voice firm, almost challenging.

Winn turned the computer’s screen towards her, a bit hesitant.

“We build psychic dampener antennas and Supergirl installed them in a circle that reaches the whole city. Together, those twelve antennas close all of National City in a sort of bubble. They’re linked to your particular wave of telepathy. While you’re here, your powers won’t work when they’re on.” The IT expert stumbled through the explanation.

The screens showed the city, and the whole city was surrounded by twelve dots – like a big connect-the-line game. A bubble of anti-telepathy to ward off Psy.

Psy swallowed.

She stared at Supergirl with anger in her eyes, and closed fists. More importantly, her throat burned and her words refused to come out.

“I’m sorry, but your powers are unpredictable and you’re comfortable where you are. You _only_ let people near you when your powers are turned off. There are no safe-guards for you to stay here.”

Psy scoffed. She turned her face away.

“You don’t have to use your powers to hurt people, but you do. You chose to. So, I’m giving you two months.” Supergirl said. She got closer to Psy, and to her credit, she didn’t back away. “In two months’ time, we’ll talk and consider you coming back and reintegrating with the DEO.”

Supergirl stepped back again. A temporary goodbye, hopefully.

“When she leaves city limits, remove the device on her forehead.”

Vasquez nodded. She escorted Psy towards the door.

Psy left quietly, but the resentment was felt clearly.

Once she left, the tension seemed to exit the room as well.

“Well, that went good enough.” Maggie sighed.

Alex rubbed her neck.

“I need a drink.”

“C’mon, babe.”

The two went out for a drink.

Winn grabbed his coat, and left in run.

_“Wait for me!”_

Supergirl stared at the doorway. She felt Lena resting a hand in her shoulder, but her thoughts were still agitated.

“Do you need some help?” The CEO raised her eyebrow.

Kara appreciated the offer, but she shook her head.

“Thanks. I’ll meet you at the bar.”

She felt the other woman nod. The door was closed as the Kryptonian was left alone.

That last one was all by herself. She was a friend, after all.

X

Siobhan was in her cell, screaming.

She did that a lot, lately.

Always screaming, swearing at the agents. Telling that she’ll get payback at them.

When Supergirl entered the room, she immediately stopped.

Siobhan now had silver hair. She was Silver Banshee.

She just stared at her. With absolute hate in her eyes. No more punching the walls, or screaming obscenities.

Just looking at her, like she dared the blonde woman to say anything.

Supergirl didn’t know what to say.

So, she just stayed quiet for a while.

Until, it was all too much.

“Livewire and Psy left.”

There was no reaction. But the Kryptonian liked to imagine, that under all that animosity, Siobhan was waiting for the gossip.

“Livewire left on parole. Hopefully she’ll behave.” Supergirl made her best attempt at a joke, because Leslie behaving _was funny._

Siobhan raised an imperceptible eyebrow. Enough to notice.

“Psy left National City. She was upset.” There was no reason to say anything else, but… Silver Banshee and Siobhan were different people. And sometimes Kara wanted to talk to any of them. “She felt discarded, I guess. But until she learns to control her powers, she couldn’t stay.”

The fire in Silver Banshee’s eyes was back.

Supergirl stood in front of her cell and stared at the woman she once knew. If she had the right words, maybe they could talk.

Supergirl wondered if Cat could fix this. Then she reminded herself that it was her job to do it. The voice that resembled Cat in her brain sounded _just like it._

“I know you have all the reasons to hate being locked there. But if you have any hope to leave, we’re going to need to come to an agreement.” Supergirl said.

The only sound was the breathing and the constant heartbeat of Siobhan’s heart.

The hero took the bracelet out of her pocket.

“The bracelet. Some honest talking. Or you have no one else to blame.” Supergirl said, her eyes looking into Siobhan’s.

The two stared at each other for a while.

There was no response from the woman inside the cell.

Supergirl didn’t expect one so soon. She knew Siobhan’s, after all. Before all the others.

“It’s okay. I can wait.” Supergirl smiled.

Silver Banshee could almost see Kara Danvers in that smile. It made her insides burn.

The Kryptonian sat in the ground.

She could wait.


End file.
